Free-piston linear alternators have great potential for efficiency. A free-piston linear alternator typically is a linear machine with a piston that is not attached to a crank shaft, gears, or a fly wheel, but is free to move in the piston path. The piston in a linear alternator typically has a head at each end. Combustion at each end of the linear alternator carries the piston from one end of the piston path to the other end of the piston path and back again. Ideally each of the combustion reactions are alike and provide the force to move the piston into the right position at the right time for the next combustion reaction. In a typical linear alternator, however, there are some variations in the combustion reactions. If there is no compensation for the variations in each combustion reaction, the timing and compression of the piston will likely become continually worse, resulting in misfire and a halt to operation.
One solution provides compensation for variations in each combustion reaction using high-speed high-power switches to provide power to the coils in the free-piston linear alternator. This solution, however, is typically costly and generally requires complex controls to operate the switches.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for operating a free-piston linear alternator to compensate for variations in combustion reactions or misfires. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.